Arbroath Sport Climbs

2005

Early on this year Scott Muir bolted up the left hand wall at Balmashanner. Some of the lines (99 Flake and Mini the Minx) had previously been done as trad routes probably 20 + years ago and fallen into neglect. This public spirited act has given the quarry a few easier routes either for warming up, though they are fingery in places, or for those days when the power is just not there.....! Well done Scott.

In an effort for completeness we did a few of these routes yesterday and the details/photos are in the following sections.

The two left most routes are round the corner hidden from view, please dont use this area as a toilet now 

Dennis the Menace 6b climbs the overhang and is a tricky looking but short problem. Desperate Dan 6a+ climbs the broken arete and felt worth the grade. The elegant heel hook move eliminates the "slapping wildly" described in the route details on Scottishclimbs.

Below Linda demonstrates shes no slapper by crafty use of the heel!

The next routes centre on the huge flake system. 99 Flake is graded 4 and climbs the whole flake, dont pull too hard on it!

Below Linda climbing with delicacy on 99 Flake.

The thin seam just visible in the right of the above photo is Ice Scream Wall. This is a good route and fairly easy at the grade having a bouldery start then easy to a lower off shared with 99 Flake. A harder boulder problem start lies just a couple of feet right again on The Balmashanner Bombshell 6c. Again the upper wall is easier.

The following routes centre round a shallow corner system in the centre of the crag. The "line" is Mini the Minx 6a and solid at the grade. Derek shows how its done on the next pictures. The first one shows the crux having just been done.

This shot shows the move up to clip the lower off. The right foot hold Dereks stood on pinged off only seconds after he clipped in         Would have been a long fall if it had come off just a fraction sooner   It is worth remembering that the routes still need to clean up a bit.

Leading out left from this line is One Can Dan 6b but the line it takes is very uncertain as the bolt is in a blank bit. The line to the right is Rat Race Face 6b. This route is hard for the grade and sustained. It was a little wet at the start but I felt well worth 6b+ and probably a couple of bolts moved which if Scott doesnt mind I will do over the summer. **But as usual now at 24.08.06 and I havent done it yet**

24.08.06 DONATIONS ARE URGENTLY REQUIRED TO FUND RE-EQUIPPING AT THE SHANNER 

Scott has also cleaned up and bolted the line left of Delivery Man at 6a+ which is ok but finishes at an alarmingly thin piece of chain. Dave Douglas commented amusingly a couple of weeks back that Scott was using "Fisher Price" chain .

Scott has also rebolted Balmashanner Buttress 4+ and this is a pleasant outing and also provides good positions for taking shots of the struggles on The Merchant!